The cooperative institute for marine ecosystem and resources studies (cimers) is headquartered at oregon state university's hatfield marine science center on the working waterfront of newport, oregon

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded Oregon State University $201,507 under Cooperative Agreement NA26OARX432C0081, effective October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, under the NOAA Cooperative Institutes program (CFDA 11.432).

Oregon State University, operating through the Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resources Studies (CIMERS) headquartered at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon, will develop and test uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) technologies and procedures for high-accuracy 3D geospatial mapping without ground control, using direct georeferencing techniques. The work addresses limitations in current-generation UAS data collection for measuring riverbed elevations and river flow velocities, reducing the need for extensive and logistically challenging fieldwork. The project will increase the operational readiness of UAS direct georeferencing capabilities within NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center, supporting decision-support tools used for water allocation and salmon recovery strategies.

Work is performed in Corvallis, Oregon. The NOAA Cooperative Institutes program facilitates cooperation between government, university, and nonprofit research institutions to increase research effectiveness and develop innovative approaches to environmental science education aligned with NOAA's mission goals.

Cimers operates in close collaboration with NOAA's pacific marine environmental laboratory (pmel), northwest fisheries science center (nwfsc), and alaska fisheries science center (afsc). Through these partnerships, cimers provides NOAA with integrated research, technology development, and decision-support capabilities across all four cooperative institute research themes: conservation, protection, and restoration of marine resources; marine ecosystems; ocean acoustics; and ocean, coastal, and seafloor processes. Cimers is uniquely positioned to respond nimbly to evolving NOAA mission needs by combining long-term observing programs with new scientific and technological capabilities. Cimers has advanced critical ocean surveys that provide some of the strongest early indicators of salmon returns on the U.S. West coast. These efforts also deliver comprehensive ecosystem status products used by fisheries managers and coastal communities. Through sustained collaboration with pmel, cimers has strengthened NOAA's ocean sound monitoring enterprise. This work supports the ocean noise reference station network and provides acoustic coverage from the western pacific to the arctic and southern oceans. Across its research portfolio, cimers helps NOAA modernize how ocean data are collected, processed, and used. The institute integrates high-endurance sensors, autonomous and uncrewed platforms, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing. These tools improve observational coverage and speed the transition from data collection to decision-ready information. The result is greater efficiency and reduced operational cost. These innovations also expand NOAA's ability to monitor ocean conditions, ecosystems, and hazards. During the renewal period, cimers will continue delivering operational science that supports sustainable fisheries, ecosystem assessments, aquaculture development, ocean monitoring, and deep-ocean research. Cimers will work closely with NOAA scientists, decision-makers, and stakeholders. This collaboration will strengthen NOAA's capacity to provide timely and actionable information. These efforts support resource management, coastal economies, and U.S. Leadership in marine science and the blue economy.